Air register for fuel burner



April 25, 1961 REED 2,981,320

AIR REGISTER FOR FUEL BURNER Filed Sept. 23, 1957 IN VENTOR ROBERT D.REED Q JL ATTORNEY for a. fuel burner.

United States PatentQ i AIR REGISTER FGR FUEL BURNER Robert D. Reed,Tulsa, Okla, assignor to John Zink Company, Tulsa, Okla., a corporationof Delaware Filed Sept. 23, 1957, Ser. No. 635,468

3 Claims. (Cl. 158-15) The present invention relates to means forcontrolling the volume of air admitted to the presence of a fuel burnerand more particularly relates to a shutter type air register includingmeans associated therewith for directing the air downstream of theburner to insure stable operation thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide a device for simultaneouslycontrolling the volume of air that may pass through the device in adirection axially of the burner and in a direction radially of theburner so that adjustment of the volume of the radially moving air andthe axially moving air may be obtained by a unitary control member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shutter type of airregister which includes a disc-shaped member having sector-shapedopenings therethrough together with a cylindrical flange carried by thedisc member having circumferentially spaced openings therein instaggered relationship with the sector-shaped openings and to provide anadjustable air door which includes a disc having sectorshaped openingstherein lying adjacent the first disc member together with a cylindricalflange arranged inside the first flange and having openings thereinwhereby rotation of the second disc member and its flange will bringabout adjustment in the areas of registration of the respectiveopenings.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shutter type of airregister having openings for the radial entry of air therethrough andopenings for the movement of air therethrough in directions axially ofthe burner together with a baflle so mounted in relation to the burnerand the air register so as to intercept portions of the radiallyentering air and to direct it in a general axial direction as it movesinto the presence of the fuel issued by the burner head thereby avoidingdisruption of the combustion as the burning fuel enters the air stream.

Other objects and features of the invention will be appreciated andbecome apparent to those skilled in the art to which the inventionpertains as the present disclosure proceeds and upon consideration ofthe accompanying drawing and the following detailed description whereinan exemplary embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an axial sectional view of a burner showing an air registerand baffle assembly exhibiting the invention in association with theburner.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with thepilot and associated parts omitted.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 devoid ofthe pilot attachments.

The invention pertains to an air control mechanism The burner shown inthe drawing is for the combustion of gaseous fuel but it will beappreciated that burners for other fuels may likewise be employed inassociation with the air register. The burner assembly-is adapted to bemounted in an opening A 2,981,326 Patented Apr, 25,1961

extend Within an annular recess formed in the tile member 11. Thethimble 14 is so designed that the inner cylindrical surface thereof isdesirably flush with the inner annular surface of the tile member 11. Aflange 16 on the thimble 14 overlies the sheet metal covering 12 and maybe secured to the furnace wall structure in any suitable manner so thatthe thimble 14 is maintained in rigid assembled relationship with thetile member 11 and the floor or wall 17.

The air register includes a disc-shaped element 18 which is mounted inrigid relationship with respect to the other portions of the burnerstructure. The disc 18 carries a cylindrical shaped flange 19 which maybe formed integral with the periphery of the disc-shaped element 18. Aplurality of cap screws 21 extend through ears 22 and are threaded intoopenings in the flange 16 of the thimble 14. The ears 22 are desirablyformed integral with the disc-shaped element 18 and arranged in spacedrelationship around the periphery of the air control mechanism. The capscrews when threaded cause the downstream end of the flange 19 to firmlyengage the upstream end of the thimble 14. Thus the disc-shaped.

element 18 and the flange 19 are rigidly connected to stationary partsof the assembly.

The disc-shaped element 18 is provided with generally sector-shapedopenings 23 (Fig. 3) which are circumferentially spaced from each otherand thus provide apertures through the element 18 for passage of air indirections axially through the open area within the thimble 14 and theopen central area within the tile member 11. The flange 19 is providedwith rectangular shaped openings 24 (Fig. 2) which are equally spacedfrom each other in proceeding circumferentially of the air controlmechanism. The openings 24 are arranged in staggered relationship withrespect to the sector-shaped openings 23. The openings 24 provide forthe entry of air at a plurality of circumferentially spaced areas sothat air entering through these openings moves radially with respect tothe axis of the thimble 14.

The air control means includes a second disc-shaped member 26 which isarranged in face-to-face relationship and inside the disc-shaped element18. The disc-shaped member 26 is mounted for rotation about the axis ofthe thimble 14. The disc-shaped member 26 is provided with a pluralityof generally sector-shaped openings 28 which are of substantially thesame size and shape as the openings 23 in the disc-shaped element 18.sothat when the disc member 26 is rotated to the position shown in Fig. 2the openings 28 are in registration with the openings 23. An annular rib27 is provided on the disc-shaped member 26 near the axis thereof asshown in Fig. 2.

The disc-shaped member 26 carries a cylindrically disposed flange 29which lies along the inner surface of the flange 19 as will be apparentfrom a consideration of-Fig. l. The flange 29 is desirably formedintegral with the disc-shaped member 26 to provide a rotatable aircontrol door. The free edge of the flange 29 terminates adjacent butspaced from the upstream end of the thimble 14. A plurality of openings31 of rectangular form are provided in the flange 29. The openings 31are circumferentially spaced from each other so that when the rotatableair door structure as formed by the disc-shaped member 26 and the flange29 is in the position shown in Fig. 2 the openings 31 are inregistration with the openings 24. This position of the air control doorprovides for entry of the air in directions radially towards the axis ofthe thimble 14 through the registering openings 24 and 31.- Air may alsomove through the sector-shaped openings 23 in the disc element 18 andthrough the sectorshaped openings 28 in the disc member 26 and such airmoves generally axially of the thimble 14.

A pair of handles 32 are secured to the disc member 26 in spacedrelation and extend outwardly through associated openings 23 in thedisc-shaped element 18 for actuating the air door structure and rotatingit about the axis of the burner assembly and thereby control the volumeof the air passing through the register. Notches 33 are provided in thedisc-shaped element 18 for accommodating the handles 32 in the fullclosed position of the register. Similar notches 34 accommodate thehandles 32 in the full open position of the rotatable air doorstructure.

A fitting or hub structure is secured to the disc-shaped element 18.This hub structure includes a plate 36 which is attached to the element18 by means of cap screws 37. A ferrule 38 carried by the plate 36 isprovided with set screws for holding a guide tube 41 therein. Theferrule 38 extends through an opening in the disc-shaped element 18 andinto a central opening in the disc-shaped member 26. Radially disposedlugs within the annular rib 27 provide bearing means about which thedoor structure rotates. The fuel burner for gaseous fuel is indicateddiagrammatically at 42 and is supplied with the gaseous fuel mixturethrough a supply pipe 43 which extends through the guide tube 41. Ashielding cone 44 is carried by the inner end of the guide tube 41 andsurrounds the burner. A pilot 46 may be provided for the gas burner anda supply pipe 47 therefore may extend through a pilot boss 48 carried bythe disc element 18. An adaptor fitting 49 may be provided foraccommodation within the boss 48 so as to support the conduit 47supplying fuel to the pilot burner 46.

An element of the combination includes a baifle member 51 ofsubstantially cylindrical formation. The baffle member is of smallerdiameter than the thimble 14 and is supported in position partly withinthe air register structure and partly Within the thimble 14 by means ofbrackets 52 which are attached to the inner face of the rotatabledisc-shaped member 26. Thus while the baffle 51 rotates during rotationof the air door structure it nevertheless remains in a fixed spacedrelation from the disc-shaped member 26 making up a part of the airregister. The downstream end 53 of the baflie member is spaced upstreamfrom the end 54 of the thimble 14. The upstream end 56 of the baffle 51is spaced from the disc member 26. It will be observed that the end 56of the baffle extends in overlapping relationship with a portion of theflange 19 and the flange 29. The upstream end portion of the baflie isthus in a position to obstruct some of the air entering through theopenings 24 and 31 to divert corresponding portions of the radiallyinward moving air in a direction axially of the burner head and in thedirection of the arrows in Fig. 1. Such deflection of the radiallymoving air takes place when the openings 24 and 31 are in completeregistration shown in Fig. 2 or when the flange 29 of the air doorstructure is rotated so as to partly obstruct the openings 24. The airentering through the registering or partly registering openings 23 and28 moves axially relative to the burner without deflection by the baflie51.

The air entering radially through the openings 24 and 31 and thoseportions thereof upstream of the end 56 of the baffle will continue tomove radially inward without deflection by the baflie 51. The radialcomponents of these air currents will nevertheless be turned axiallydownstream of the burner assembly by the air entering axially of theburner assembly through the openings 23 and 28. The interception anddeflection of portions of the radially entering air causes the totalvolume of air to flow evenly past the point where the fuel discharged bythe burner tip 42 enters the air stream. The burning of the fuel isaccordingly not disturbed through the action of air which would moveradially of the burner head.

While the invention has been described with reference to particularstructural features and with regard to an air register mechanism inassociation with one type of fuel burner it will be appreciated thatchanges may be made in the details and the structural elements togetherwith the overall assembly. Such modifications and others may be made andthe air register may be employed with other types of fuel burnerswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An air register assembly for a fuel burner comprising, an annularthimble adapted to be secured in fixed relationship to a structure to befired, a disc-shaped element'spaced from an upstream end of saidthimble, a first cylindrical flange between said element and theupstream end of said thimble, said disc element having a plurality ofopenings therethrough, said first flange having a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced openings therethrough staggered with respect tothe openings in said element, a disc-shaped member mounted inside saidelement in face-to-face relationship, a second cylindrical flangecarried by said member arranged within the first cylindrical flange,said member having openings therethrough, said second cylindrical flangehaving circumferentially spacedopenings therethrough staggered withrespect to the openings in said member, said member and said secondcylindrical flange being rotatable as a unit so that the openingstherein may register with openings in said element and the openings insaid first cylindrical flange, a generally cylindrical shaped baflle ofsmaller diameter than the thimble supported on said member with anupstream end of the battle spaced from said member, and a downstreamportion of said battle extending into said thimble.

2. An air register assembly for a fuel burner comprising, a wall havingan opening therethrough, an annular thimble extending into said openingand secured to said wall, a disc-shaped element spaced from an outer endof said thimble, a first cylindrical flange between said element and theouter end of said thimble, said element having a plurality of generallysector-shaped openings there through, said first flange having aplurality of circumferentially spaced openings therethrough staggeredwith re spect to the openings in said element, a disc-shaped membermountedinside said element in face-to-face relationship therewith, asecond cylindrical flange carried by said member arranged within thefirst cylindrical flange, said member having substantially sector-shapedopenings therethrough, said second cylindrical flange havingcircumferentially spaced openings therethrough staggered with respect tothe openings in said member, a burner head arranged at the axis of saidthimble, a pipe extending through said element and said membersupporting the burner head, said member and said second cylindricalflange being rotatable as a unit about said pipe so that the openingstherein may register with openings in said element and the openings insaid first cylindrical flange. a generally cylindrical shaped baflie ofsmaller diameter than the thimble supported onsaid member with theupstream end of the battle spaced from said member, and said baflieextending into said thimble and terminating upstream of said burnerhead.

3. An air register assembly for a fuel burner comprising, an annularthimble adapted to be secured in fixed relationship to a structure to befired, a disc-shaped element spaced from an upstream end of saidthimble, a first cylindrical flange between said element and theupstream end of said thimble, said disc element having a plurality ofopenings therethrough, said first flange having a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced openings therethrough staggered with respect tothe openings in said element, a disc-shaped member mounted inside saidelement in face-to-face relationship, a second cylindrical flangecarried by said member arranged within the first 5 cylindrical flange,said member having openings therethrough, said second cylindrical flangehaving circumferentially spaced openings therethrough staggered withrespect to the openings in said member, said member and said secondcylindrical flange being rotatable as a unit 10 6 so that the openingstherein may register with openings in said element and the openings insaid first cylindrical flange.

Forster Nov. 28, 1922 Peabody Mar. 16, 1926

